Synthetic biology

Synthetic biology is an exciting new field that seeks to rationally engineer biological systems using approaches and methods common to well-established engineering disciplines. In the last 15 years, researchers in our lab and others have sought to turn genes and other genetic elements into programmable parts with predictable functions. With these parts, synthetic biologists hope to build complex genetic systems that are capable of a wide range of tasks: from high-throughput screening for new antibiotics, to engineering self-regulating metabolic pathways designed to reduce toxicity to the host organism and increase product titer.

The Keasling Lab has focused on both the basic science that underlies synthetic biology, such as the development of biosensors, characterization of genetic elements, and DNA assembly software, as well as the metabolic engineering applications of this basic science.

Moving forward the Keasling Lab will continue to develop synthetic biology applications for model and non-model organisms with the goal of making reliable and predictable microbial chemical factories a reality.